Buckling check in accordance with DNV standard

This program calculates the unity check based on the DNV standard DNV-RP-C201. The UC is calculated dependent on the specified plate, stiffener and girder dimensions. The program is initially written to use with FEMAP, but it can easily be rewritten to use it with other FE programs like e.g. ANSYS. The program provides in the following options:

A quick check for conceptual purposes can be performed with the hand calculation module. The UC is calculated dependent on the provided plate, stiffener and girder dimensions:

The panels in the FE model are checked for buckling dependent on the calculated stresses by the FE model. Dimensions of all panels are required in a separate file. Example is given below:

Two options are available. The first is to calculate it per element. The second is to calculate it for all elements in the panel. It can also be chosen to save the mid plane vectors of X, Y, XY and Von Mises stress.

An example of a FEM plot for panel and stiffener buckling is given in the figures of the barge model below:

Note that the stiffener buckling plot gives the presentation of the unity check's plotted in the plate panels. This is done with a purpose. It is assumed that the stresses in the panels are equal to the stresses in the stiffeners and the girders. This results in conservative results as long as not all details are modeled. The more details are modeled, the more accurate the calculated stresses will be in the panels. It turned out that this way of working during the design phase is very handy and convenient.